Carton with integral tear-strip sealing means



March 15, 9 R. R. SPIERING ETAL 3,

CARTON WITH INTEGRAL TEARSTRIP SEALING MEANS Filed Sept. 15, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS GEO/96E L M'YERS ROBERT R. SP/ER/NG BY RANALD K. GRUNERT 4 TTOR/VE Y March 15, 1966 R. R. SPIERING ETAL 3,240,419

CARTON WITH INTEGRAL TEAR-STRIP SEALING MEANS Filed Sept. 15, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,240,419 CARTON WITH INTEGRAL TEAR-STRIP SEALING MEANS Robert R. Spiering and George L. Meyers, Menasha, and

Ranald K. Grunert, Appleton, Wis., assignors to American Can Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Sept. 15, 1964, Ser. No. 396,771 3 Claims. (Cl. 229-51) This invention relates to tamperproof reclosable cartons and more specifically to an opening feature for cartons having a cover portion adapted to telescope over a receptacle portion,

Heretofore, in the manufacture of sealed cartons having a cover portion adapted to telescope over a receptacle portion and having a tear strip opening feature, it was necessary to apply that adhesive which secured together the panels and flaps forming the corners of the cover and which sealed the cover portion of the carton to the receptacle portion in some pattern other than a straight line. The application of an adhesive in a pattern other than a straight line is, of course, much costlier than the application of a straight-line strip of adhesive which can be applied by the paper converter during the manufacture of the carton blanks in one pass on a conventional high-speed straight-line gluer. This is commonly referred to in the industry as preapplied adhesive in that it is applied before the carton is set up. Instead of using the preapplied adhesive method, the adhesive may, of course, be applied at the time of the setting up of the carton in the packaging line. In order to apply adhesive in some pattern other than a straight line, it is necessary in preapplying adhesive to make more than one pass of the blank through a conventional straightline gluer or in applying adhesive at the time the carton is being set up it is necessary to use more complicated and expensive gluing machinery to obtain the accurate registration required in applying a pattern of adhesive.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide a new and improved carton having a cover portion adapted to telescope over a receptacle portion and an opening feature which allows that adhesive which secures together the panels and flaps forming the corners of the cover and which seals the cover portion of the carton to the receptacle portion to be applied in a straight line strip.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved carton having a cover adapted to telescope over a receptacle portion and a side opening feature which facilitates the sealing together of the panels and flap forming the cover corners and the sealing of the cover to the receptacle portion by passing the carton between a pair of heated sealing bars to activate preapplied, heat-activatable, straight-line strips of adhesive.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description made in connection made in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a paperboard carton blank embodying a preferred form of the invention,

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a partially formed carton,

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a completed carton, and

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the carton with the tear strips removed and the cover portion swung supwardly to open the carton.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, the preferred embodiment shown in FIGURE 1 comprises a unitary paperboard blank, A, which is divided by score "ice line 10 and cut lines 11 and 12 into a receptacle portion and a hinged cover portion.

The receptacle portion is divided by score lines 13-16 into panels and flaps including receptacle bottom panel 17, receptacle front and back panels 18 and 19, respectively, receptacle side panels 20 and receptacle corner locking flaps 21. Score line 10 defines the upper edge of receptacle back panel 19.

Cut lines or slits 22 are provided in receptacle side panels 20 for receiving corner locking flaps 21. Score lines 23 and cut lines 24 define in each of the corner locking flaps 21 a tab portion 21a which is adapted to be folded about score line 23 to facilitate the insertion of a portion of the locking flaps together with the tab portion into the slits 22 in the receptacle side panels to form the receptacle portion of the carton.

Although a specific receptacle corner-lock construction is shown herein, it is to be understood that any number of other known corner constructions for the receptacle portion can be employed without departure from the ininvention.

The cover portion is divided by score lines 15, 16, and 25 into panels and flaps including top panel 26, front panel 27, and a pair of opening panels 28, and cover corner flaps 29.

Score line 25 defines the front edge of top panel 26 and score lines 15 and 16 defines its opposed side edges as well as the opposed ends of front cover panel 27.

Front cover panel 27 has a male member 27a which is adapted to be inserted into a slit 30 in receptacle front panel 18.

Each opening panel 28 has a tear strip 31 defined therein by a pair of lines of weakness 32. Each opening panel has a front, a rear, and bottom edge 33, 34 and 35, respectively, and an upwardly extending cutout portion 36. Tear strips 31 extend from the rear edge 34 of each opening panel forwardly to the cutout portion 36. It i understood that the bottom edge 35 of opening panels 28 includes the edge of any interruption in the bottom of the panels such as the edge of cutout portion 36 or the edge of a slit or line of weakness which may be employed instead of a notch or cutout portion.

In the preferred form, the cover portion of the carton is adapted to be formed and sealed to the receptacle portion by preapplied, heat-activatable strips of adhesive depicted by the strippling 37 in FIGURE 1.

The cutout portions 36 in the opening panels 28 are important in that they facilitate the rapid and efiicient application of a straight line strip of adhesive to'the carton blank. The strips of adhesive which secure to'- gether the flaps and panels forming the corners of the cover portion and which seal the cover portion of the carton to the receptacle portion may be applied by a single pass of the carton blank over the adhesive applicator wheels of a conventional straight line gluer. To apply the strips of adhesive, the blank A is placed on a straight line gluer with the surface to which the adhesive is to be applied facing downwardly and receptacle side panels 20 and receptacle corner locking flaps 21 folded upwardly so as not to contact the adhesive applicator wheels. The opening panels 28 of the blank are then passed over the adhesive applicator wheels of the gluer. The carton blanks with preapplied, heat-activatable adhesive thereon are shipped to the user in flat form.

In setting up, filling and sealing the carton, the receptacle portion is formed first by folding the receptable side panels 20 into an upright position and folding receptacle corner locking flaps 21 about score lines 15 and 16 into an upright position. 'I ab portions 21a are then folded back against the receptacle corner locking flaps to facilitate the insertion of the tab portion together with a portion of each locking flap into the female slits 22 in the receptacle side panels 20. Receptacle front and rear panels 18 and 19, respectively, are then folded upwardly about score lines 14 and 13, respectively, and locking flaps 21 are inserted into slits 22. The tab portions 21a of the locking flaps are then allowed to swing free so as to retain the locking flaps in the side panel slits.

The completed receptacle portion is then filled with a product.

After filling, the top panel 26 and its associated panels and flaps are folded about hinge line over the receptacle portion. Front cover panel 27 is folded down to overlie receptacle front panel 18 and male member 27a is inserted into slit 30 in the receptacle front panel. Cover corner flaps 29 are folded backwardly about score lines and 16 to overlie receptacle side panels as seen in FIGURE 2.

Lastly, opening panels 28 are folded down to overlie the receptacle side panels 20 and cover corner flaps 29. That portion of the opening panels 28 forwardly of the cutoutportion 36 and bearing preapplied adhesive is adhere-d to the cover corner flaps 29 to form the corners of the cover portion. That portion of opening panels 28 below the tear strips 31 and rearwardly of the cutout portions 36 and which bears preapplied adhesive is adhered to the underlying receptacle side panels 20, thus sealing the hinged cover portion of the carton to the receptacle portion thereof.

The preapplied adhesive is activated by heated sealing bars which are moved into pressure contact with the outer surface of the opening panels opposite the adhesive bearing areas of the inner surface.

Referring to FIGURE 3, the carton is opened by grasping the end of the tear strips at the rear edge 34 of the opening panels 28 and pulling outwardly and toward the front of the cartion to the cutout portions 36. The removal of the tear strips thus severs that portion of opening panels 28 which is adhered to receptacle side panels 20 from that portion which is not so adhered and allows the cover to be swung open about hinge line 10 as seen in FIG- URE 4. The corners of the cover portion, of course, remain intact to facilitate reclosure of the carton.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawings and described in detail herein, the invention is susceptible of embodiment in various different forms and it should be understood that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to that particular form illustrated. The scope of the invention will be pointed out in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A tamperproof reclosable carton having a receptacle portion and a cover portion adapted to telescope over the receptacle portion; said receptacle portion comprising receptacle front, bottom and back panels and a pair of receptacle side panels; said cover portion comprising a top panel having a front edge and opposed side edges; a cover front panel hingedly attached to the front edge of said top panel and having opposed ends; cover corner flaps hingedly attached to the ends of said cover front panel; opening panels hingedly connected to the side edges of said top panel, said opening panels having front, rear, and bottom edges, said opening panels having said cover corner flaps adhered thereto to form the front corners of the cover portion, said opening panels in an area adjacent the bottom edge thereof and rearwardly of said corner cover flaps being adhered to said receptacle side panels; and a tear strip in each of said opening panels above the area of adhesion thereof to the receptacle side panels, said tear strip operatively extending from the rear edge of said opening panels to the bottom edge of said opening panels rearwardly of said cover corner flaps to provide for a disconnection in each opening panel between the portion thereof adhered to the receptacle side panel and the remaining portion thereof 7 2. A tamperproof reclosable carton formed from a unitary paperboard blank suitably cut and scored to provide a carton having a receptacle portion and a cover portion adapted to telescope over the receptacle portion; said receptacle portion comprising receptacle front, bottom and back panels and a pair of receptacle side panels, said back panel having an upper edge; said cover portion comprising a top panel hingedly connected to the upper edge of said back panel, said top panel having a front edge and opposed side edges; a cover front panel hingedly attached to the front edge of said top panel and having opposed ends; cover corner flaps hingedly attached to the ends of said cover front panel; opening panelshingedly connected to the side edges of said top panel, said opening panels having front, rear, and bottom edges, the bottom edge of each of the opening panels having an upwardly extending cutout portion therein, said cover corner flaps being adhered to said opening panels forwardly of said cutout portions to form the corners of the cover portion, each of said opening panels having a tear strip extending from its rear edge forwardly to said cutout portion, said opening panels being adhered below said tear strips and rearwardly of said cutout portions to said side receptacle panels.

3. A tamperproof reclosable carton formed from a unitary paperboard blank suitably cut and scored to provide a carton having a receptacle portion and a cover portion adapted to telescope over the receptacle portion; said receptacle portion comprising receptacle front, bottom and back panels and a pair of receptacle side panels, said back panel. having an upper edge; said cover portion comprising a top panel hingedly connected to the upper edge of said back panel, said top panel having a front edge and opposed side edges; a cover front panel hingedly attached to the front edge of said top panel and having opposed ends; cover corner flaps hingedly attached to the ends of said cover front panel; opening panels hingedly connected to the side edges of said top panel, said opening panels having front, rear and bottom edges, each of said opening panels having a tear strip therein extending from its rear edge to an upwardly extending cutout portion in said opening panel, said cover corner flaps being adhered to said opening panels forwardly of the cutout portions in said opening panels to form the corners of said. cover portion, said opening panels being adhered below said tear strip and rearwardly of said cutout portions to said side receptacle panels.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,387,325 10/ 1945 Goodyear 229-5l 2,865,549 12/1958 Inman 2295l 3,111,255 11/1963 Skowionski 22951 3,142,430 7/ 1964 Meyers 2295 1 3,168,975 2/1965 Buttery et al. 229-51 JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner. 

1. A TAMPERPROOF RECLOSABLE CARTON HAVING A RECEPTACLE PORTION AND A COVER PORTION ADAPTED TO TELESCOPE OVER THE RECEPTACLE PORTION; SAID RECEPTACLE PORTION COMPRISING RECEPTACLE FRONT, BOTTOM AND BACK PANELS AND A PAIR OF RECEPTACLE SIDE PANELS; SAID COVER PORTION COMPRISING A TOP PANEL HAVING A FRONT EDGE AND OPPOSED SIDE EDGES; A COVER FRONT PANEL HINGEDLY ATTACHED TO THE FRONT EDGE OF SAID TOP PANEL AND HAVING OPPOSED ENDS; COVER CORNER FLAPS HINGEDLY ATTACHED TO THE ENDS OF SAID COVER FRONT PANEL; OPENING PANELS HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO THE SIDE EDGES OF SAID TOP PANEL, SAID OPENING PANELS HAVING FRONT, REAR, AND BOTTOM EDGES, SAID OPENING PANELS HAVING SAID COVER CORNER FLAPS ADHERED THERETO TO FORM THE FRONT CORNERS OF THE COVER PORTION, SAID OPENING PANELS IN AN AREA ADJACENT THE BOTTOM EDGE THEREOF AND REARWARDLY OF SAID CORNER COVER FLAPS BEING ADHERED TO SAID RECEPTACLE SIDE PANELS; AND A TEAR STRIP IN EACH OF SAID OPENING PANELS ABOVE THE AREA OF ADHESION THEREOF TO THE RECEPTACLE SIDE PANELS, SAID TEAR STRIP OPERATIVELY EXTENDING FROM THE REAR EDGE OF SAID OPENING PANELS TO THE BOTTOM EDGE OF SAID OPENING PANELS REARWARDLY OF SAID COVER CORNER FLAPS TO PROVIDE FOR A DISCONNECTION IN EACH OPENING PANEL BETWEEN THE PORTION THEREOF ADHERED TO THE RECEPTACLE SIDE PANEL AND THE REMAINING PORTION THEREOF. 